Chaffee edges Naylor with sixth-inning rally

The Red Devils emerged with a 2-1 victory over the previously unbeaten Eagles.

By Jeremy Joffray ~ Southeast Missourian

Chaffee's softball team got its first taste of what district play will be like on Monday, rallying for a 2-1 win over Naylor at Chaffee.

Naylor, the defending Class 1 District 1 champion, was the first district opponent Chaffee has played since making the move to fall softball. With the win, Chaffee improved to 4-1. Naylor fell to 5-1.

"We've had some good games, but I'm glad we had a few games before we jumped into a team like Naylor," Chaffee coach Debbie Lewis said.

The Red Devils' first victory over a district opponent was in jeopardy for much of the game. Chaffee trailed 1-0 before scoring two runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Casey Guzman started the rally with a one-out single. Cathcer Sarah Dooley followed and laid down a sacrifice bunt. Naylor's third basemen's throw was errant, allowing Guzman to score from first and Dooley to advance all the way to third. Kegan Orr followed with a game-winning single.

"It was a very, very well played ball game by both teams. I figured it would come down to one run," Lewis said.

While it may have taken the Chaffee offense some time to come through, the Red Devils' defense was making plays throughout the game. Naylor loaded the bases with one out in the first, only to have Chaffee throw a runner out at home to get out of the inning.

Chaffee allowed the leadoff runner to reach base again in the second, but once again the Red Devils ended the inning by retiring a Naylor runner at home. Dooley ended the fourth inning with a strike-her-out, throw-her-out play, and Chaffee picked off a runner who rounded first too far in the fifth.

"I told the girls they had to come out ready to play," Lewis said.

Naylor's lone run came off a near-stellar play from Chaffee pitcher Courtney Walter. With a runner on third and two outs, Walter had a line drive glance off her glove and just missed throwing the runner out at first.

Chaffee had three of its six hits in the sixth inning. Guzman and Rachel Hendrix had two hits apiece for Chaffee.

"It seemed like they were hitting the holes and we couldn't do it, but they came through at the right time," Lewis said.

Walter struck out eight, walked two and allowed seven hits to pick up her second win of the season. Naylor pitcher Magen Young struck out two, allowed six hits and did not walk a batter.

Chaffee will hit the road today with a game against Egyptian High School in Illinois.

Chaffee 2, Naylor 1

Naylor 001 000 0 -- 1 7 1

Chaffee 000 002 X -- 2 6 0

WP -- Courtney Walter, 2-1. LP -- Magen Young. 2B -- Casey Guzman (C). Multiple hits -- Naylor, Tasha Hamlett 2-3; Ricki Smith 2-2; Chaffee, Guzman 2-3; Rachel Hendrix 2-2. Records -- Chaffee 4-1, Naylor 5-1.